How to Lose the War on Christmas (and Thereby Save Your Soul)

The “war on Christmas” has been raging on for a while now. Hopefully you haven’t noticed it at all, and have been more concerned with an older Christmas related struggle – how to keep materialism and greed out of your Christmas observance (that’s the topic of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” – it came out in 1965!). Regardless, here’s how it breaks down.


In this corner: certain retailers, public schools, and local governments, who avoid using the term “Christmas” in advertising or public displays during the season, for the sake of cultural inclusiveness in the case of the stores, or an attempt to avoid violating the First Amendment for the others. This has resulted in things like “Holiday Trees,” the exclusion of Christmas carols from public school functions, and the exclusion of nativity scenes from courthouses, government buildings, etc.

In the other corner: Christians who take offense to all of the above.

A Christian radio station that's broadcast here in Waco has been promoting ‘Merry Christmas’ buttons expressly as a way to combat the exclusion of the term Christmas. In the recent past, boycotts have been threatened of retailers whose greeters greeted shoppers with a ‘Happy Holidays’ instead of a ‘Merry Christmas.’ Terms that mean one thing are said to mean another.* Sinister motives have been attributed, and nasty names have been called.

Now, maybe it’s time we took a break to think about Jesus.

In the book of Philippians, Paul includes what may be the oldest Christian hymn, which goes like this:

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who although he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Phil. 2:5-8)

There are many and varied interpretations of what it means that ‘he did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped.’ I think at the very least it means that Jesus was devoid of a sense of entitlement. He wasn’t compelled, as many of us are, to insist on his rights and to make sure that he got what was coming to him. Instead, he lived a life of generous, gracious surrender. And that is what he preached to his disciples.

He also said, “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples – that you shall sue your city government when they try to call a lit up Douglas Fir a ‘Holiday tree,’ and that you defiantly say ‘Merry Christmas!’ to any who would be foolish enough to wish you a ‘Happy Holidays!’ That’s my birthday you’re talking about, and it shall be holy unto thee, and even people who don’t believe in me.”

Wait – that’s not right…

Oh yes, it goes: “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, that you love one another.” Wow, I wasn’t even close that first time!!

Now, a series of practical questions: Which is more likely to accomplish the goals for which Christ was born: for the greeter at Best Buy to wish you a ‘Merry Christmas’ or for you to love your neighbor in the name of Christ? For a public tree to be labeled a Christmas tree, or for you to produce the fruit of the Spirit? For Santa Claus and elves and reindeer to be so closely associated with the birth of Jesus that people think of both when they say the word 'Christmas', or for the birth of Jesus to just go ahead and be its own thing with his title? I'm fine with Santa, but let's be honest, he doesn't really have a lot to do with Jesus, does he? What would Saint Nicholas do? Brothers and sisters, we’ve been fighting the war on Christmas backward because we’ve fought out of a sense of entitlement, and we’ve fought over words. Words!! Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against powers and forces of darkness.

So, here’s what you do. When you see a ‘Holiday tree’, thank God for making the tree. It’s still His, no matter what it’s called. When you get a ‘Happy Holidays’ instead of a ‘Merry Christmas’ at the store, you thank God you live in a country where it’s ok to worship wherever you want to, and you pray for the Christians in other countries who don’t have that privilege. When you pass the spot where your courthouse used to have a nativity scene, pray for Bethlehem – for the Jews, Muslims, and Arab Christians who all live there, trying to work and live and raise their kids without getting killed. There are realities out there that we are missing by focusing on trivialities.

In doing all of this, you’ll be getting a little closer to having the attitude of Christ – born in a stable, laid in a manger, lived and taught as a homeless man, died as a traitor – and raised as the Savior of the world. All of these powerful things he did outside the normal means of power and influence. How would he want us to honor his birth?

A final word from Brennan Manning:

“The way we are with each other is the truest test of our faith. How I treat a brother and sister from day to day, how I react to the sin-scarred wino on the street, how I respond to interruptions from people I dislike, how I deal with normal people in their normal confusion on a normal day may be a better indication of my reverence than the sticker on the bumper of my car.”

* Yeah, I’m talking about ‘X-Mas’. The ‘X’ is the Greek letter ‘Chi’, the first letter of ‘Christ’ in Greek. It’s not ‘X-ing out Christ!’ Look it up!

Movie Moment: Belated Valentine’s Day Thought – The Movies and Married Love

I am little late getting on the Valentine’s Day bandwagon, but that is actually appropriate for the content of this post. Here’s a question to scratch your head over: what is your favorite movie that portrays love in the context of marriage?

My premise is that most movies that portray “love” are primarily concerned with the pursuit of love – love’s starting point. The overwhelming majority of romantic movies are concerned with “boy meets girl.” Very few movies follow up on “boy marries girl, has three children, etc.” Think about your favorite romantic movies (or for guys, your wife’s favorites). I’ll bet you a dollar that the movie ends with 1) a wedding, or the very likely prospect of one, or less often, 2) the death of one or both of the leads.

There are probably two main reasons for this. One is the necessity of movie plot mechanics. You need three acts in a typical romantic movie (or any movie). Act One: Boy Meets Girl. Act Two: Complication – Boy and Girl Separated. Act Three: Resolution, happy or otherwise. Think about your favorites (or your significant others’.) This applies to all of them. I think it’s easier for screenwriters to portray “the pursuit,” or courtship, or “falling in love,” or what have you, in the span of two hours than it is to portray “married love” in the same span, and with the same kind of plot structure.

The other reason I think movies primarily deal with courtship is because of a more general societal definition of love. When we think of romantic love, whether we are trying to or not, we usually think of the feelings involved in “falling in love.”

Not that there’s anything wrong with falling in love! Falling in love is great! But – what does that say about our definition of love if the popular portrayal of love “ends” with marriage. We see a wedding in a movie and this is movie shorthand for “and they lived happily ever after.” But that feeds into the belief that all love always feels like falling in love. And anybody who’s been married for more than a month or two will tell you that isn’t always what love feels like.

For more on this idea I recommend with my most heart-felt recommendation “Sacred Marriage” by Gary Thomas. The subtitle of the book is “What if God designed marriage to make us holy, more than to make us happy?” A counselor friend of mine suggests that the key to a successful marriage is that it requires both parties to become more mature people. Thomas says in the first chapter, appropriately titled “The Greatest Challenge in the World:”

“Romantic love has no elasticity to it. It can never be stretched; it simply shatters. Mature love, the kind demanded of a good marriage, must stretch…Any mature spiritually sensitive view of marriage must be built on the foundation of mature love rather than romanticism. But this immediately casts us into a countercultural pursuit.”

I don’t think that it is the fault of movies that our general perception of love is limited to the romantic, “falling in love” sort of love – but I do think movies perpetuate this idea. So, what are some “countercultural” movies? Which ones show a different side of love than the pursuit? I thought of these:

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) – Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed. Gets me every time…I am always surprised at how many people haven’t seen it, or haven’t seen all of it. You need to see all of it.

The Family Man (2000) – A sort of reverse “It’s A Wonderful Life.” In fact, I’m sure that’s how it was pitched to the producers. Still a good movie, though.

The Bishop’s Wife(1947) Cary Grant/The Preacher’s Wife – The original, and the 1996 remake with Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston.

The Notebook (2004) – Not my favorite, but I will admit that it portrays married love beautifully – the bulk of the movie, though, is flashbacks to “the pursuit.”

The Quiet Man (1952) – A great movie! John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. Guys, if you’re patient, you get to see one of the longest fist-fights in movie history.

Jerry Maguire (1996)– Maybe you’ve heard of this one.

A lot of these movies are centered around Christmas – interesting.

All of these follow the same three-act structure mentioned above – but in all of these films the major conflict for love comes after the marriage. These movies require their characters to do more than “fall in love.” They are required to stay in love – which is quite a different kettle of fish - a different set of emotions, a different kind of commitment, than the emotions and commitments that come with falling in love.

So, back to the original question. What’s your favorite movie that portrays love in the context of marriage?

Epiphany!

Happy Epiphany everyone!

Even if you’ve never celebrated epiphany, you’ve probably had one at some time or another. They might even be contagious…

Here’s the dictionary-style definition:
“Epiphany – Greek, “to manifest,” or “to show.” An epiphany is the sudden realization or comprehension of the (larger) essence or meaning of something. The term is used in either a philosophical or literal sense to signify that the claimant has "found the last piece of the puzzle and now sees the whole picture," or has new information or experience, often insignificant by itself, that illuminates a deeper or foundational frame of reference.”

Here’s my definition: You know in cartoons when the light bulb comes on over someone’s head? That’s an epiphany. In mystical language you’d call it “enlightenment.”

Epiphany is the Christian holiday that celebrates the visit of the magi to the infant Jesus.
It is the last of the “12 days of Christmas,” the “Twelfth Night” of Shakespearean fame, and in Ireland they refer to it as “Little Christmas.” It also kicks off its own season which leads up to Lent.

For a long time now, we’ve let the Christmas season be defined by the shopping season – starting on “Black Friday” after Thanksgiving, and ending sometime in the nebulous period between “Gift Return Day” (the day after Christmas) and New Year’s Eve.

I like the old way better. Celebrate Advent the month before Christmas, and celebrate the Christmas season till today. Leave your decorations up! You can put them away tomorrow. I really like the idea of including the birth of a new year inside the season of celebrating the birth of Christ.

And I like the idea of Epiphany – that Persian priests took a road trip to see a newborn king, and found the last piece of the puzzle that made everything clear.

For the sake of accuracy, I like to put the wise men a little ways away from our nativity scene, scoot them a little closer each day after Christmas, and finally move them all the way over today. If you already put your nativity scene away, now’s your chance to get it back out and do Epiphany right. Especially if you’ve got one of those huge, yard-filling scenes with life size people and animals lit by floodlights. Leave the shepherds in storage and just bring out the wise men. All the Catholics will probably know what’s going on, but everyone else will be mystified. Oh, how the neighbors will talk!

So, this Epiphany, I pray that you have one, that Jesus will be at the center of it, and that it make you a wiser man or woman.


Rembrandt's "Adoration of the Magi"

Movie Moment - French for Christmas

I highly recommend to you the 2005 film “Joyeux Noel.” Based on the spontaneous Christmas Eve and Christmas truce that occurred in the trenches of World War I - in this case between French, Scottish, and German soldiers - it stars a bunch of people I had never heard of, and this guy:


Gary Lewis, who was the dad in "Billy Elliot," and boxed Leonardo DiCaprio in “Gangs of New York.”

It’s a fantastic movie – great story, well acted, beautifully shot.

I particularly enjoyed the tension shown in the movie between the ability of religion (Christianity, in this case) to be a bridge to peace, or a tool of propaganda. (For an example, the bishop’s little homily at the end is real – it was given at Westminster Abbey in 1915.)

So, if you’ve gone through your collection of Christmas movies already this year, maybe it’s time to add a new one! Merry Christmas!

The Other Verses

How many Christmas carols do you know? Just off the top of your head? Not Christmas songs, like “Frosty the Snowman” or “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” but honest to goodness, sing ‘em in church, carols? Probably over a dozen off the top of your head, and at least twenty if you really thought about it, and if you start throwing in tunes like “In the Bleak Mid-Winter,” who knows?!

But how many second verses of Christmas carols do you know? Or third verses? I was looking the other day, and it turns out there’s some great stuff in a lot of those second verses. A sampling of my favorites:

“Oh Holy Night” – 3rd verse
Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Oh praise His name forever!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

“Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel” - 3rd verse
O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

“I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” – 3rd and 4th verse
And in despair, I bow'd my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song,
Of Peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep;
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With Peace on earth, good will to men."

“Joy to the World” – 2nd and 3rd verse
Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
while fields and floods,
rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessing flow
far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found,
far as, far as the curse is found.

And my all-time favorite 2nd and 3rd verses:

“Hark the Herald Angels Sing”
Christ, by highest heaven adored;
Christ, the everlasting Lord;
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of the Virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail the incarnate Deity,
Pleased as man with man to dwell;
Jesus, our Emmanuel!
Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King!

Hail, the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail, the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Risen with healing in his wings,
Mild he lays his glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King!

The Christmas Cave

We’ve gotten very attached to some ideas about the birth of Jesus that are suppositions. One is that Jesus was born in a stable. In fact, Luke says Mary laid in him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Where that manger was is not mentioned. The oldest Christian tradition portrays the nativity has occurring in a cave. The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, built on the supposed site of Jesus’ birth, is mostly underground. And caves are still used to keep animals in Israel today. To be born in a stable is interesting enough. G.K. Chesterton finds something more in the idea of the Son of God being born in a cave.

"It was a cave used as a stable by the mountaineers of the uplands about Bethlehem; who still drive their cattle into such holes and caverns at night. Nevertheless it is true that the cave has not been so commonly or so clearly used as a symbol as the other realities that surrounded the first Christmas. It was here that a homeless couple had crept underground with the cattle when the doors of the crowded caravanserai had been shut in their faces; and it was here beneath the very feet of the passers-by, in a cellar under the very floor of the world, that Jesus Christ was born.

Whether as a myth or a mystery, Christ was obviously conceived as born in a hole in the rocks primarily because it marked the position of one outcast and homeless. Christ was not only born on the level of the world, but even lower than the world. The first act of the divine drama was enacted, not only on no stage set up above the sight-seer, but on a dark and curtained stage sunken out of sight. In the riddle of Bethlehem, it was heaven that was under the earth.

There is in that alone the touch of a revolution, as of the world turned upside down. It would be vain to attempt to say anything adequate, or anything new, about the change which this conception of a deity born like an outcast or even an outlaw had upon the whole conception of law and its duties to the poor and outcast. It is profoundly true to say that after that moment there could be no slaves."

Christmas Songs for Tiny Tots

God bless the people who direct Pre-school choir. It takes bravery to volunteer to wrangle, teach a song to, and direct people whose primary concern is snack time, who are likely to flash the audience, burst into tears, punch another choir member in the face, or to stare vacantly into the audience.

That said - my favorite pre-school Christmas songs:

1. (Title Unknown)
What did the cow in the manger say
To baby Jesus in the hay?
Moo! Moo! Moo! Moo!
Baby Jesus we love you

What did the donkey in the manger say
To baby Jesus in the hay?
Hee Haw! Hee Haw!
Baby Jesus we love you

What did the sheep in the manger say
To baby Jesus in the hay?
Baa! Baa! Baa! Baa!
Baby Jesus we love you

The children I heard sing this one a few years back were very enthusiastic about the animal noises. On the way home I got enthusiastic about thinking about how other animals might proclaim their love for baby Jesus. Monkeys for example, also llamas, and tigers. A little sacrilegious, but I made my wife laugh.

2. “Little Gray Donkey”
Little gray donkey, clip clop, clip clop,
On the way to Bethlehem
Little gray donkey, clip clop, clip clop,
On the way to Bethlehem
(Repeat)

And that’s it! This was performed by pre-schoolers at our church when my younger brother and I were both in the youth group. We quickly realized that the entertainment value of the song increased greatly through spontaneous rearrangement of the words – a little something like this:

Little gray clip clop
Donkey donkey clip clop
Clip clop donkey donkey Bethlehem
Donkey donkey clip clop
Donkey donkey donkey donkey
Clip clop clip clop donkey donkey donkey donkey donkey

A Christmas classic!

The Christmas Quiz

1. What Christmas carol mentions Satan by name in the first verse?

2. “Bethlehem” in Hebrew means:
A. House of God
B. House of Bread
C. House of David
D. House of Peace

3. Which of the following is not in Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew or Luke?
A. Noah
B. Solomon
C. Joseph (the one with the coat of many colors)
D. Hezekiah

4. What animals are mentioned in the nativity stories in the gospels?
A. Donkey, sheep, camels
B. Donkey, ox, sheep
C. Just donkey and sheep
D. Just sheep

5. The word “Noel” is:
A. French for “Christmas”
B. German for “Peace”
C. Latin for “Christmas”
D. French for “Peace”

6. The “12 Days of Christmas” are:
A. The twelve days between Christmas and the feast of Epiphany (January 6)
B. The last, holiest twelve days of the Advent season
C. An ancient tradition in which gifts are given on the 25th of each month, in preparation for Christmas
D. Made up for that song about the pear tree

7. Eastern and Russian Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on:
A. December 24
B. January 7
C. March 25
D. January 25

8. The feast of Epiphany celebrates:
A. The presentation of Jesus at the temple
B. The appearance of the star
C. The visit of the Magi
D. The escape of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus to Egypt

9. Which of the following is St. Nicholas NOT the patron saint of:
A. Sailors
B. Prostitutes
C. Children
D. Repentant thieves
E. Anonymous gift-giving
F. Pawnbrokers
G. New York City

10. True or False: Joseph has no recorded speech in the gospels.



1. “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”
2. B.
3. C.
4. D.
5. A.
6. A.
7. B.
8. C.
9. E.
10. True

Mother and Child

An interesting passage from your friend and mine, G.K. Chesterton. First, a little context– by the time he wrote “The Everlasting Man,” from which the following is taken, he had fully converted to Catholicism.

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“If the world wanted what is called a non-controversial aspect of Christianity, it would probably select Christmas. Yet it is obviously bound up with what is supposed to be a controversial aspect; the respect paid to the Blessed Virgin.

When I was a boy a more Puritan generation objected to a statue upon my parish church representing the Virgin and Child. After much controversy, they compromised by taking away the Child. One would think this was even more corrupted with Mariolatry, unless the mother was counted less dangerous when deprived of a sort of weapon.

But the practical difficulty is also a parable. You cannot chip away the statue of a mother from all around that of a new-born child. You can not suspend the new-born child in mid-air; indeed you cannot really have a statue of a new-born child at all. Similarly, you cannot suspend the idea of a new-born child in the void or think of him without thinking of his mother; you cannot in common human life approach the child except through the mother. If we are to think of Christ in this aspect at all, we must admit, if only as we admit it in an old picture, that those holy heads are too near together for the halos not to mingle and cross.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As a Baptist from birth (BFB) I didn’t hear much about The Blessed Virgin growing up, and was rather mystified by the Catholic approach to her. I am not ready to address prayers to Mary, but I think Chesterton has a point in that if we are going to think of Jesus as a baby, and stand in awe at everything such an idea means for us, we have to recognize the completely unique place his mother holds in salvation history.

What The, Dickens?

So, you're Charles Dickens.

You sit down to write a Christmas story. You decide to do a Victorian morality tale, 'cause hey, you're Charles Dickens, and it's 1843. You want to write a story about the true meaning of Christmas. You decide the best way to do that is to tell the story of a lonely old miser who learns the error of his ways - from ghosts.



"Merry Christmas. You're dead."

Dickens' "Christmas Carol" has become so familiar to us that the sheer weirdness of it may have been lost along the way. The full title is "A Christmas Carol in Prose, Being a Ghost Story of Christmas." "A ghost story of Christmas!?" Whaaa?

The little book starts with "Marley was dead, to begin with," after which is a paragraph discussing the inappropriateness of the phrase "dead as a doornail," which Dicken's suggests be replaced by "dead as a coffin nail." Awesome.

The ghosts have survived every adaptation of the story, but the creepiest part of the book only makes it into the most faithful of adaptations. Living beneath the robes of The Ghost of Christmas Present are two urchin children named "Want" and "Ignorance."



That is weird, wild stuff.

Now that I think about it, maybe the best Christmas stories are the ones that include some element of danger and mystery. Maybe "peace on earth" doesn't mean as much if there isn't the possibility that there won't be peace - and if the pronouncement comes from Someone or Something beyond earth, it rings with a little more import. Those are all elements of the first Christmas story, after all.

But, above all. Charles Dickens was some sort of mad genius. "Ghost Story of Christmas!"

And Now, A Word From Our Sponsor - Christmas

Caravaggio's "Adoration of the Shepherds"

An excerpt from G.K. Chesterton's "The Everlasting Man," from the chapter "The God in the Cave."

"A mass of legend and literature, which increases and will never end, has repeated and rung the changes on that single paradox; that the hands that made the sun and stars were too small to reach the huge heads of the cattle. Upon this paradox, we might almost say upon this jest, all the literature of our faith is founded.

Any agnostic or atheist whose childhood has known a Christmas has ever afterward, whether he likes it or not, an association in his mind between two ideas that most of mankind must regard as remote from each other; the idea of a baby and the idea of unknown strength that sustains the stars. His instincts and imagination can still connect them, when his reason can no longer see the need of the connection; for him there will always be the savor of religion about the mere picture of a mother and a baby; some hint of mercy and softening about the mere mention of the dreadful name of God.

Omnipotence and impotence, or divinity and infancy, do definitely make a sort of epigram which a million repetitions cannot turn into a platitude. It is not unreasonable to call it unique. Bethlehem is emphatically a place where extremes meet.

It might be suggested, in a somewhat violent image, that nothing had happened in that fold or crack in the great gray hills except that the whole universe had been turned inside out. I mean that all the eyes of wonder and worship which had been turned outwards to the largest thing were now turned inward to the smallest.

The faith becomes, in more ways than one, a religion of little things."

Christmas: Things Not To Get Offended By

Have you heard there was a war on Christmas? Have you heard "Merry X-Mas" and "Happy Holidays" were its slogans?

Take a deep breath, I've got good news.

Merry X-Mas

"X" is the Greek letter "chi", and in Greek it's the first letter of the word "Christ. "X" has been used as an abbreviation for "Christ" for the past thousand years or so. It's still used today, especially in Eastern Orthodox churches. When stores put out their holiday signs, they save space when they can. One way to save space is to abbreviate. "X-Mas" is an abbreviation for "Christ"-mas.

Ahhhh. That feels better. Let the rage dissipate. Peace on earth, etc.

Happy Holidays

Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day, and, if your church is into that sort of thing, Epiphany (more on that later). Also, Hanukkah. All holidays. All very close together. "Happy Holidays." Less space to write, and easier to say than, "Have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year."

Mmmmmm. Offenses removed. An nice, appropriate thing to happen at X-mas time. Happy holidays!

Christmas: Victory Songs

"Merry Christmas, mortals!"

Angels are one of the most popular symbols of the Christmas season. And everybody loves angels. We think of them as messengers of hope, comfort, and healing. And sometimes, in the Bible, they are. But, Biblically, angels just as often bring the pain. No matter what they do when they appear, the first thing that happens is the person they are appearing to freaks out and falls on the ground. Usually, before the angels can deliver the real message, they have to say, "Do not be afraid." Essentially, "Please calm down, I have something important to tell you."

In the Nativity stories in Matthew and Luke, angels of course play a major role, and the most famous and inspiring is the choir of angels of that appears to the shepherds proclaiming peace on earth. But - it isn't a choir. It's an army.

"Suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." - Luke 2:13-14

Heavenly host = angel army. In the Old Testament a common name for God is Yahweh Sabbaot, the Lord of Hosts, God of the Armies.

You may have to readjust your picture - you may have pictured glowing, flow-y robed angels arranged "Living Christmas Tree"-style, sweetly singing o'er the plains.

Instead, picture an army of angels in lightning-bright clothes, maybe with flaming swords, chanting and singing at the top of their voices. A slightly different picture, isn't it?

And here's my favorite part - why do armies sing? Under what circumstances do military forces burst into song? When they are marching into battle, and when they have won a great victory. I think the angel army's Christmas song is a little of both. While we sing "Silent night, holy night," the angels sing "Glory Glory Hallelujah, His truth is marching on!"